We are a group of young Afghans passionate about Mountain Biking and growing it in Afghanistan. ​

Our goal in embarking on this exciting journey is to achieve the following:

Show the world the most overlooked side of Afghanistan: its beautiful environment.​Right now, there is a false and painful reputation that Afghanistan is a sand desert. It is not, and we will prove it on the bike. ​​

Grow the sport of mountain biking in Afghanistan.Our country’s rough and mountainous terrain is perfect for cycling, making us well-conditioned for the competitive demands of the sport. We believe Afghanistan can compete in the Olympics.

Promote environmental awareness by getting more people to play outside.As of now, Afghanistan’s outdoors is nearly inaccessible. There is a hard truth about this: the lack of trails means few people are motivated enough to hike steep mountains. We are committed to establishing a love for the environment through community trail building initiatives, group rides, and hiking trips.

Provide an opportunity for fun and play. We believe there is hope in fun. For us, peace is not found on negotiation tables. It is out in the mountains where we can forget about war, even for a brief moment, and recollect our strength. The bike is an empowering tool that allows people to conquer new frontiers, and build a deep connection to place and community.

THE TEAM

Farid Noori

Founder

If it wasn't for Farid's journey from Afghanistan to the U.S. for high school, he would've never discovered mountain biking. Since then, he has been on a mission to take the sport back to his home country.

Farid races for Middlebury College where he is finishing an Economics degree. He is thrilled to race for Mountain Bike Afghanistan (MTBA) this year. Keep an eye out for the sick jersey he will be reppin in New England race events.

As a CAT 1 racer, Farid is at hard work to become the first professional mountain biker from Afghanistan, and race for his country in the Olympics.

Follow Farid's journey on social media:

Tahir Shahidani

Assistant, MTBA Cycling

Tahir knows everything about sports in Afghanistan, and what it takes to get them off the ground. His journey has taken him from humble beginnings to his current status as a nationally recognized Muay Thai athlete. Tahir is also a prominent Muay Thai trainer in Bamiyan.

As the official Sports Officer in Bamiyan, where Mountain Bike Afghanistan will be based, Tahir is excited to bring his knowledge and expertise to help us navigate through the technical aspects of our journey to our goals.

Sajjad Husaini

Manager, MTBA Cycling

If you want to put a face to skiing in Afghanistan, you don't need to look hard. It is our man Sajjad (and his friend Alishah) who is a pioneer of establishing the ski culture in Afghanistan.

It all started when a Swiss journalist brought a dozen skis to Sajjad's village in Bamiyan. Fast forward eight years, and he is the flag bearer for Afghanistan in international skiing competitions. Sajjad tried and didn't make it to the Winter Olympics in 2018, but he will not give up on his dream.​​When he is not racing, he helps his local Bamiyan Ski Club. In the summers, Sajjad is an avid cyclist, which brings him to join Mountain Bike Afghanistan.

Mac Christopher

Media Specialist

Mac is a passionate photographer and filmmaker. He seeks to document stories that link individuals and communities with the distinct characteristics and soul of the places they dwell.

​Mac has worked on various short form documentary projects and enjoys nothing more than filming and documenting the remarkable narratives of the 21st century.

​Mac understands the influence that visual media can bring and is thrilled to bring his passion to the Mountain Bike Afghanistan team!